Fiscal Year 2023: Ridership Exceeds Expectations

Join us in celebrating an incredible year of achievements. In Fiscal Year 2023, Amtrak continued its remarkable growth, bringing rail travel to new heights. The wins include a ridership surge, expanded services, significant infrastructure investments, and more.

[@transitcaptain]

The good work has to continue if Amtrak has any hope of living up to its full potential. I hope politicians keep their support and more people take trains.

[@TheRailwayDrone]

It's great we are finally investing in improving OUR railways. The NEC is proof that if rail travel exists, and is frequent and convenient (although convenience can be questionable with Amtrak), then people WILL use it.

[@dc2guy2]

I ❤ Amtrak

[@cedw80]

Keep it up. And bring back the Sightseer lounge on the Texas Eagle please.

[@rdm925]

Thanks, for the update and progress. Congratulations on the ridership growth. I hope Amtrak continues to work on bring back regular dining car service on ALL long distance trains and ordering new long distance bi-level or single level equipment while it has the funding. I'm so tired that stupid politicians keep trying to kill it, now for over 50 years. It needs a secure and independent funding source.

[@the-terrible63]

Thank you for the information, you guys are the best.

[@TranscontinentalRailfan]

Full steam ahead to a brighter future!

[@migjing23OCMCHS]

the government should buy up the major choke point sections of freight traffic to allow Amtrak priority over those sections. it would help alot. otherwise fantastic job on the high iron

[@jwil4286]

State governments might have better grounds to do that sort of thing. Or another idea might be to tell them that if they build a second line in the same right of way to be exclusively used for passenger service, then they can write it off their taxes.

[@p1xel1115]

The Avelia Liberty, the train that will probably only be in service by 2050! :)

[@rottenroads1982]

The Locomotives Amtrak Wants: Chargers & the latest modern locomotives The Locomotives people want: EMD E & F units, EMD SDP40F’s (Made Better), GE P30CH (Made Better), and EMD F40PH. Heritage Units are cool. I believe everyone wants to see an EMD E/F unit, in a modern paint scheme, pulling an excursion train. Also, who here Believes that On Amtrak’s 100 Year Anniversary, all of their Locomotives should be painted into Phase 1?

[@trevd0g215]

When will you come to Macon ga? we need a railway built!!

[@StillPlaysWithModelTrains1956]

Atlanta to Columbus, GA too!

[@IndustrialParrot2816]

If only Amtrak was given control of all the track and tool over freight service that way they could upgrade track outside the northeast corridor

[@robertenglish7557]

Amtrak Gulf Coast Starts in 2024 Mobile to New Orleans and New Orleans Baton Rouge starts 2027

[@dukeonwheels]

Start using the Venture cars on the NE Regional. Don’t understand why the route with the most ridership is still using a rolling stock that’s half a century old.

[@hanswurstmaxdurst4039]

I hope so much that the American people can finally overcome their irrational self-enslavement to the automobile and get more freedom of choice respective to their mode of transport. And no, trains don’t make profit (save some highly used corridors), but neither do roads!

[@markalbury7359]

I wish they would either build a new station in Miami or move it to the miami airport transportation center.

[@DivineDart]

imagine if the NEC had legit high speed rail infrastructure?

[@spacetoast7783]

Imagine the property seizures.

[@spacetoast7783]

I'm not saying it can't be done, but it would be extremely politically unpopular and expensive.

[@DivineDart]

@@spacetoast7783what if they just followed highway rights of ways to avoid a lot of that?

[@darthmaul216]

@@DivineDartwell then you couldn’t use any existing infrastructure. So it would probably end up being more expensive

[@DivineDart]

@@darthmaul216 whatever, money is fake anyway

[@PeaceToAll-sl1db]

why not build more lines and have more routes then

[@farely5746]

Amtrak discriminates against potential employees . I’ve applied every time a posting is posted for conductor trainee and within a hour I’ll be rejected. I’ve attempted to contact hr in regard to the matter. Furthermore, of course I won’t have any prior experience because no schools offer train education.

[@zionsofresh4878]

There job applications are key worded so to get a interview you have to lie a bit to get your application screened and try hearing events that’s how I got my job

[@caseykahler6827]

Why does Amtrak ONLY care about the north east corridor? There is SO much more to Amtrak than the Acela.

[@captainminecraft631]

They said they would replace the long distance overnights with Acela trains…

[@spacetoast7783]

It's 50% of their customers.

[@brianholmes1812]

Amtrak only owns the tracks in the Northeast Corridor. Freight railroads own the rest so Amtrak isn't allowed to do any infrastructure work on them.

[@caseykahler6827]

@@brianholmes1812 absolutely right. But what about train car maintenance? What about station maintenance? There is SO much more that needs to be done that isn’t infrastructure. So I ask again why does all the money go to the Acela?

[@caseykahler6827]

@@spacetoast7783 but not 50% of their revenue.

[@Crock2023]

I had an extremely bad experience working for Amtrak. Beware if you ever want to or plan to work for Amtrak. Hostile, nasty, retaliatory place. It will damage you.

[@MassbyTrain]

Please lower NEC fares to compete with airlines

[@spacetoast7783]

They are already competitive.

[@connecticutmultimodaltrans8226]

​@@spacetoast7783no, fares are higher than ever.

[@Crock2023]

Honestly, don’t fall for the advertising about hiring people and they appreciate their employees. It is a bad, bad, bad place to work. Beware.

[@cduemo]

If only the law giving Amtrak priority dispatch was enforced.....😕

[@StillPlaysWithModelTrains1956]

Put US Mail on Amtrak trains and they must be given priority status by law!

[@BeLoudYall]

Amtrak needs to Make Dome cars..doses Anyone Agree?

[@CrabMan2539]

They used to have them as part of their heritage fleet. I believe they were all gone by the mid or late 90s as superliners became standard on trains that once had them.

[@BeLoudYall]

Wish they can Come back

[@StillPlaysWithModelTrains1956]

Service still SUCKS! No dining cars on any of the over-night trains operating East of the Mississippi. The micro-wave meals are disgusting (I can do better with Uber Meals or Door-Dash), and passengers must endure passive-aggressive behavior from Amtrak employees.

[@SnappingTurtle801]

I want to take my first ever train ride, but a little uneasy because of their lack of security. I hope they use that money to improve it. At least install metal detectors.

[@davidriddle9057]

As a frequent Amtrak passenger, I can tell you you don't need to worry about security. Yes, incidents infrequently occur on trains, but when they do the conductor is in contact with local police who promptly handle the problem. Amtrak has more than 500 stations so it would be impractical to install metal detectors, with little benefit. Take your train ride and enjoy the trip, but obviously use common-sense personal security awareness, just as you do in any public space.

[@SnappingTurtle801]

@@davidriddle9057 I hear you and I'm still going to go. This recent incident has me concerned and finding out its not as secure as the airport.

[@PeaceToAll-sl1db]

joe biden america is scary isn't it lol

[@eikopoppy29]

PLEASE no. Not having to go through the ridiculous (and mostly useless) security theater is one of the reasons that train travel is more pleasant and less stressful than flying.

[@yagi3925]

Come on! Travel to normal countries for a try and you'll see that there are no security controls, metal detectors etc., except in some rare cases (a basic security check for high speed trains in Spain, e.g.). America should understand once and for all that trains are not planes. They should be as easy-access and no-nonsense as taking a bus. That's how it works in virtually every country in the world - except in North America. Come on, let's get real...

[@brianjanes4393]

If this is true, then how’s about adding some cars to your long distance trains? Your 4 car Capitol Limited is an absolute joke, and your 6 car Southwest Chief is a sham. Intentionally claiming trains are “sold out” well of course they are. You aren’t running the normal “pre COVID” train sets! And you guys know dang well that you can now and should have for at least the past year.

[@kwabaj1585]

Privatize passenger rails, then we will see REAL progress

[@spacetoast7783]

Nationalize the rails, privatize the vehicles and the service.

[@ethanlink8734]

Yeah because that was working so well in the 1970's.

[@brianholmes1812]

Go ask the UK how that went

[@SouthJerseyRailfan]

@@ethanlink8734 In the 70s the economy was already going downhill and driving was all the rage. In today's society where many people are looking for other options, privatization would work. Privatized railroads worked well up until the 50s. Privatized companies = competition. Competition = lower fares and better services. Amtrak, a government-owned entity, has been obviously struggling since its start in the 70s. Compare that to Brightline, a private company. Brightline started only a few years ago and is already massively profitable.

[@SouthJerseyRailfan]

@@brianholmes1812 This isn't the UK. The economy and society in the US and UK is completely different..